Regulator structure



Sept. 25, 1956 .J. A. PAASCHE REGULATOR STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 24, 1952,

IN V EN TOR.

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nited States Patent 2,764,177 REGULATOR STRUCTURE Jens A'. Paasche, Chicago, Ill assignor to Cline Electric Manufacturing Company, Chicago,,lll., a corporation of Illinois Application January 24, 1952, Serial No. 268,092

1 Claim. (Cl. 137-209) This invention is concerned generally with airpainting and the like and specifically with an air distributing and regulating structure.

In airpainting with one preferred type of gun or airbrush, paint or other liquid is supplied under pressure from a tank to the gun or airbrush for atomizingby airunder pressure. The pressure required on the liquid in the tank depends on the consistency of the liquid, thelength of the hose used, the height to which the liquid must be raised, and the painting rate. The tank pressure generally will range from about two pounds per square inch up. Approximately one pound per square inch of pressure must be added for every foot of elevation the paint must be raised from the tank to the airbrush. Excessive pressure on the fluid forces the paint out faster than it can be atomized by the airbrush, and an orange peel finish results.

The air pressure required for atomizingdepends upon the consistency of the paint to be atomized, the'painti'ng rate, and, to some extent, the atmospheric conditions; Light materials require from ten to fifty pounds pressure for proper atomization whereas heavy materials will require from fifty to one hundred pounds per square inch or sometimes even higher pressures. It is preferableto use the lowest possible atomizing pressure so that fumes and mist will be held to a minimum and'waste of materials eliminated.

Thus, for best and most efiicient airpainting the air pressure to the airbrush or brushes and the pressure on the paint or other fluid must be known. As these depend on the air supply line pressure, the supply line pressure also must be known.

An object of this invention is to provide anew or improved structure for distributing andregulati-ug air under pressure.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and compact structure for distributing air from a supply line to a fluid pressure tank and to atomiz-ing guns or air.- brushes used in conjunction therewith, andto an air motor agitator if one is used.

Another object of this invention is to provide a regulator for distributing air from a supply line and having closely grouped gauges readily readable at a glance and easily replaced when damaged.

A further object of this invention is to provide a uni tary structure for distributing and regulating air and paint or other liquid to be atomized.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved means for introducing air under pressure into a tank.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a pressure tank having an air distributing and regulating structure embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat schematic view in perspective of 2,764,177 Fatented Sept. 25, 1956 2 the apparatusshown in Fig. l and illustrating the air'distribution;

Fig. 3- is a vertical sectional viewtaken substantially along the line 33'of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. Sis a sectional view of the air inletfitting taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the airinlet fitting taken along the line 6-6 of Fig.5; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top view of the apparatus.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a generally cylindrical pressure tank 10adapted to contain paint or other liquid under pressure. The bottom of the tank is rounded at 12 in order best to withstand the internal pressure, and a ring-like skirt 14 is weldedor otherwise secured to the side of the tank and depends below the round bottom so that the tank can be placed on the floor or other level surface without danger of tipping. The tank is provided with diametrically opposite handles 16 for lifting and transporting the tank.

A ring 18 encircles the top of the tank and extends slightlycthereabove and is welded to the tank at 20 as shown in-Fig. 4. The tank is provided with an explosion proof flat lid or cover 22' which is quickly removable in.its entirety for replenishing the supply of paint or other liquid in the tank. A gasket 24 ofrubber orthe like is set in an annular groove 26 in the bottom face ofthe cover 22 and bearsagainst the ring 18 for sealing the lid to the. tank. A. plurality ofxclamps 28 is spaced'about the periphery of the lid. for uniformly clamping the lid on the tank. The clamps arepivotally mounted on eccentric pins. 30 carriedby brackets 32 mounted on the cover 22. The clamps 28 are providedlwith holding teeth or fingers 3.4 fitting beneath the-ring 18 anddrawn up against the ringby rotation of the eccentric pins 3i to clamp the coverZZ firmly on the tank. The construction and opera tion of the clamps and the explosion proof feature of theiflat lid are set forth more fully in my copending application, Clampfor Pressure Tank, Serial No. 268,091, filed January 24; 1952.

The tank is adapted to contain paint 36 (Figs. 2. and 3) or other liquid. and air is supplied under pressureto thetopof the. tank to force paint'out through an, outlet pipe extending into the :paint 36 below the surface thereofas will be apparent hereinafter. In order to supply air under pressure. to the top of the tankfor expellingpaint therefrom and.also to supply air from a supply line to the atomizing guns or airbrushes and to an air motor agitator, I have provided my distributing and regulating structures 38.

The regulator 38 includes a substantially cylindrical block. 40 having a reducedlower end 41 threaded into an. aperture in the cover 22., The upper portion of the cylindrical block 40 is hollow at 42 and a substantially. T-shapedair line inlet44 isthreaded into the top of the block 40 at 46 and has a channel48 communicating with the space 42. An air supply line 50 is provided with a. conventional coupler 52 threaded into the air line inlet 44 at 54 and is in fluid communication with the channel 43. A pressure gauge 56.is threaded into the inlet 44 at 58 and likewise is in fluid. communication with the.

the block 40 at 62 in fluid communication with the space:

42. A connector 64 is threaded into the back of the regulator assembly 60and is connected at 65 to a pipe.

ortube 66 curving downwardly and communicating with the inside of the tank 10 through a connector 68 threaded into "an aperture inthe tank cover. at 70..

To prevent paint or the like from running into the air pipe 66 I have provided an air inlet fitting 67 threaded into the tank cover 22 from the bottom in alignment with the connector 68. The air inlet fitting 67 comprises a hollow cylindrical body 69 closed at one end 71 and open at the other. The body 69 is threaded at 75 adjacent the open end. A neck portion 77 of reduced diameter communicates with the interior of the body 69 by means of a transverse aperture 79. A splash cap seal 81 in the form of a resilient split ring is sprung into the neck portion 77 and preferably has the gap in the ring displaced 90 from the aperture 79. The seal 81 clamps tightly against the body to prevent entrance of pain-t and the like through the aperture 79. Air under pressure inside the body springs the seal 81 outwardly to allow the air to pass into the tank. A pin 83 passes through the edge of the seal 81 and into the body 69 to prevent rotation of the seal and possible alignment of the seal gap with the aperture 79.

An air pressure gauge 72 illustrated as reading up to 60 pounds per square inch is threaded into the top of the regulator assembly 60 at 73 and is in fluid communication with the connector 64 by means of a central open space in the assembly 60 in order to indicate the internal pressure of the tank 10. A stub shaft 74 having a cross pin 76 isrotatably and threadedly mounted in a suitable nut-like element 78 threaded into the end of the regulator assembly 60, and controls the fluid connection between the open space 42 in the block 40 and the air line 66 leading to the tank 10. The valve mechanism utilized in. the regulator assembly 60 preferably is of the type having a spring pressed plunger adapted to maintain a substantiallyconstant pressure from the assembly 60 depending upon the setting of the stub shaft 74 in order to maintain a predetermined pressure in the tank.

The lower portion of the block 40 is provided with an axial bore forming a manifold 80 and having a fluid pipe or paint outlet pipe 82 threaded into the bottom thereof at 84. The lower end of the pipe 82 terminates toward the bottom of the tank and is provided with a screen 84 to prevent the intake of paint skin or other solid or semisolid substances in the paint. One or more valves 86 illustrated as two in number are threaded into the side of the block 40 in communication with the manifold aperture 80. Suitable connectors 88 join atomizing gun paint lines 90 to the valves 86, the number of lines 90 and valves 86 depending upon the number of atomizing guns or airbrushes that are to be used. Each of the valves 86 is provided with a knob 92 adapted individually to control a suitable valve member so that paint is supplied only to the atomizing guns or airbrushes that are to be used.

An air regulator assembly 94 is threaded into the block 40 at 95 substantially opposite to the regulator assembly 60 in communication with the open space 42. As will be seen in Fig. 7, the regulator assemblies are positioned at an angle of somewhat less than 180 relative to one another so that both assemblies are positioned inwardly from the edge of the cover where they are well protected from physical damage and allow easy access to the clamping mechanisms. The air regulator assembly 94 is provided with a stub shaft 96 having a cross pin 98 and threaded into a nut-like member 100 which in turn is threaded into the regulator assembly 94. The stub shaft 96 similarly to the stub shaft 74 preferably controls a spring actuated valve plunger adapted to maintain a predetermined pressure output to maintain a desired pressure within the regulator assembly 94 and hence to supply air at that pressure to a plurality of valves 102 threaded into the assembly 94 as at 104. It will be understood that another valve could be threaded into the bottom of the lower valve 102 etc. so that substantially any number of atomizing gun air lines 106 can be supplied with air at a predetermined pressure. Each valve 102 is provided with an actuating knob 108. fixed 4 to a suitable valve member for individual control over the air lines 106.

An air pressure gauge 110 is threaded into the top of the assembly 94 at 112 for measuring the pressure supplied to the atomizing gun air lines 106. This gauge has been illustrated similarly to the gauge 56 as reading up to 160 pounds per square inch.

A coupling 114 is threadedly connected to the rear of the regulator assembly 94 and communicates with the interior thereof for supplying air through an elbow 116 and another connector 118 to a flexible hose or conduit 120. The hose 120 is connected by means of a connector 122 to a valve 124 having a stub valve member controlled by a knob 126. Connection is made from the valve 124 through an automatic oiler 128 to an air motor 130 supplied with a suitable motor speed control exhaust muffler 132. The air motor 130 is supported from the cover 22 and drives a shaft 134 extending down into the paint or other liquid in the tank and bearing a propeller 136 at its lower end for agitating or constantly mixing the paint.

The explosion proof pressure tank may be supplied with fitting in addition to those heretofore shown and described and essential ones of such fittings include a pressure safety release 138 threaded into the cover 22 to relieve excessive internal pressures and a pressure release 140 threaded into the cover 22 and to be removed therefrom to relieve internal pressures before the cover 22 is removed.

The structure herein set forth for regulating and distributing air from a pressure line to a tank, to atomizing guns, and to an air motor agitator may be seen to be compact in structure with the various gauges closely spaced for ready readability. The structure is substantially unitary but at the same time is capable of ready modification such, for example, as connecting an atomizing gun air line directly to the block 40 in place of the regulator 94 if it is desired to omit the air motor and regulator.

Although an example of my invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that this example is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute any limitation on my invention. My invention includes all that which falls within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

Control structure for a pressure tank comprising a substantially cylindrical compressed air inlet fitting having a hollow upper portion opening into a threaded connector adapted for connection with an air supply line, the lower portion of said inlet fitting being provided with a chamber and adapted for threaded connection to a pressure tank cover or the like, said lower portion having threaded connecting means communicating with said chamber and adapted for connection to a liquid dispensing line, an air pressure gage threadedly mounted on the first mentioned connector for indicating the pressure of incoming air, a first compressed air distributing mechanism threaded into one side of said inlet fitting near the top thereof and at substantially right angles to said inlet fitting, said distributing mechanism having threaded outlet means adapted for interconnection with an air inlet of an air pressure tank or the like, an air pressure gage threaded into said distributing mechanism for indicating the pressure of air supplied to said outlet means, a second compressed air distributing mechanism threaded into said inlet fitting adjacent the top thereof and substantially diametrically opposite said first air distributing mechanism, said second air distributing mechanism having a threaded connection adapted for supplying air under pressure to an airbrush or the like, and an air pressure gage threaded into said second air distributing fitting for indicating the pressure of air supplied to the threaded connector of said second air distributing mechanism.

' (References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schmolle Mar. 18, 1913 Claude Aug. 4, 1925 5 Bastian Oct. 15, 1929 De Motte June 10, 1930 Ball Apr. 24, 1934 North Sept. 18, 1934 6 Grissett July 14, 1936 Vincent Apr. 26, 1938 Severin Sept. 6, 1938 Christensen Dec. 16, 1941 Kromer June 1, 1943 Funk May 1, 1945 Yorke Mar. 30, 1948 Border Mar. 29, 1949 

